Providing market intelligence for more than 35 years

In The News

Survey: Consumers Prefer Keeping Wearable Device Data from Insurers

According to research firm Parks Associates, the majority of those surveyed indicated that they are not willing to share data collected from wearable devices, even if it meant receiving a discount on their health insurance premiums. In spite of this reluctance, these same consumers were willing to share data for the purpose of troubleshooting the devices themselves.

The results of the survey varied significantly by device. Forty-two percent of digital pedometer owners were willing to share data in order to receive a health insurance discount; for smartwatch owners the total was 35 percent; and for sleep-quality monitor owners it was 26 percent. Nevertheless, a solid majority of device owners was not willing to share data.

Consumers are justified in their concerns about health data privacy. The Los Angeles Times told in July of a security breach in October 2014 where hackers compromised UCLA Health Systems’ computer network, putting 4.5 million patients’ sensitive data at risk. What was troubling about the incident was that it took nearly seven months from the time suspicious activity was discovered in October, to May 5, which is when investigators determined the system was hacked. Additionally troubling was that the data was not even encrypted.

From the article "Survey: Consumers Prefer Keeping Wearable Device Data from Insurers" by Christopher Mohr.

Previously In The News

Spanish Viewers Prefer Online Video To Pay TV: Study

“First-time adoption of pay TV is up among Spanish broadband households as is the penetration of pay TV overall. The Spanish pay-TV market in general has a very active, cost-conscious base of subscrib...

Amazon Opens Prime Video To Monthly Memberships In A Challenge To Netflix

Surveys by consulting firm Parks Associates found that many people who signed up for Prime Video's free 30-day trial were not converting to subscribers. About 34% of people surveyed by Parks Associ...

Do YOU give your Netflix password to friends? AI that can track down users who illegally share accounts is unveiled

Synamedia’s new AI isn’t just for small-time fee avoiders. Additional research from Parks Associates found that by 2021, credentials sharing will account for $9.9 billion of losses in pay-TV revenu...

Millennials are the generation most likely to use another person's Netflix account, with 18 percent admitting to illegal streaming, survey finds

The move is expected to recoup major money for the video streaming giant: a separate report from Parks Associates found that by 2021, credentials sharing will account for $9.9 billion of losses in pay...